Platen-locking mechanism for type-writers or other machines



No. 751,579. PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904 F. x. WAGNER.

PLATEN LOOKING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS OR OTHER MACHINES.

i APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1902.

30 MODEL.

WITNESSES: !NVENTOR ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented February 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ X. WAGNER, OF NE'W YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,TO UNDERIVOOD TYPEWVRITER COMPANY, OF NEl/V YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIONOF NEW JERSEY.

PLATEN-LOCKING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITERS OR OTHER MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Pa.tent No. 751,57 9, datedFebruary 9, 1904.

Application filed November 7,1902. Serial No. 130,376. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ X. WVAGNER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State 5 of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PlatenLocking Mechanism for Type-\Vriters or other Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

I My invention relates to the platens for typewriters and othermachines, and has for its object to provide mechanism whereby suchplaten may be either locked, so that it can stop only at predeterminedpoints corresponding I to the intervals between lines, or releasedentirely, so that it may be stopped at any point desired.

A specific embodiment of my invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings; and the novel features of theinvention will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a platen provided with my improvementswith parts in sec- 2 5 tion. Fig. 2 is a detail view from which I haveomitted all parts of mechanism except those that are immediately relatedto my invention. Fig. 3 is a partial plan. Fig. 4: is a detail elevationof the controlling-lever. Fig.

3 5 shows the brake-lever, and Fig. 6 the locking-lever.

In the drawings I have illustrated a platen and platen-feed orline-spacing mechanism of a character commonly employed in the Underwoodtype-writer. I desire it to be understood, however, that any othersuitable mechanism may be employed.

A is a frame in which the shaft B of the platen is journaled, said shafthaving the cus- 4 tomary milled head B for turning the platen by hand.

O is the line-spacing lever, pivoted at O and imparting motion to theslide D, to which the feed-pawl E is pivoted at E. The slide and thepawl are spring-pressed in the usual manner, and the pawl cooperateswith a ratchetwhcel B on the platen-shaft B. Adjacent to thisratchet-wheel B are pivoted, as at F, the

brake-lever G and the locking-lever H. These levers are pressed inwardthat is, toward the 5 ratchet-wheel B as by means of a spring I, coiledaround the pivot F and having its ends engaged with the levers G H, asshown best in Fig. 2. The ends I I of the spring project beyond thelevers and are adapted to be engaged by the controlling-lever J,fulcrumed upon the frame at J. This lever has ahandle J and twooperating portions J J, adapted to cooperate with the spring ends I Irespectively.

In the position illustrated by Fig. 1 the spring end I is lifted by theoperating portion J 4 away from the locking-lever H. The lattertherefore is no longer under the influence of the spring I and movesaway by gravity 5 from the ratchet-wheel B or, at least, does not exertany pressure thereon. At its free end the lever H preferably has aroller H, which normally acts'to stop the ratchet-wheel exactly betweentwo teeth and to lock the 7 ratchet wheel and the platen againstaccidental movement. It will be understood, however, that when thecontrolling-lever J is in the position illustrated by Fig. 1 thelockinglever H is inactive and the platen will stop in whatever positionit may be. Fig. 1 also shows the brake-lever G in engagement with theratchet-wheel B as it is pressed inward by the upper end of the springI. This brakelever is provided for the purpose of exerting 30 sufficientfriction to hold the platen in position after it has been adjusted byturning the head B. When it is desired to have the platen-lockingmechanism operate in the usual way, so as to hold the platen exactly atthe 5 positions corresponding to line-spaces, the controlling-lever J isshifted into the position shown in Fig. 2. This raises the spring end Iby the action of the operating portion J so that no spring-pressure isexerted on the brake- 9 lever G. At the same time the spring end I isallowed to throw the locking-lever H inward into engagement with theratchet-wheel B The device then acts to stop the platen at intervalswhich correspond exactly to the spaces between the teeth of theratchet-wheel B or a multiple of such spaces. The spring ends I I notonly act to throw the levers G H inward, but also to retain thecontrollinglever J in either of its extreme positions. Thus in Fig. 1the spring end I rests in the operating portion J which is formed as arecess, and thus holds the controlling-lever J against accidentalmovement.

In Fig. 2 accidental movement of the controlling-lever is prevented byboth spring ends, as movement of the controlling-lever in eitherdirection would put one spring end or the other under further tension. I

Various modifications may be made without departing from the nature ofmy invention.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a type-writing orother machine, the combination with the platen-shaft having aratchet-wheel, of a brake-lever and a lockinglever arranged to engagesaid ratchet-wheel, a spring, the ends of which engage the brakelever'and the locking-lever respectively, to throw them against theratchet-wheel, and a controlling-lever arranged to act on the ends ofthe spring so as to release either the locking-lever or the brake-leverfrom the action of the spring.

2. In a type-writing or other machine, the combination with theplaten-shaft having a ratchet-wheel, of a locking-lever arranged toengage said ratchet-Wheel, a spring for throwscribing witnesses.

ing said locking-lever into engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and acontrolling-lever arranged to exert an outward pressure directly uponthe spring to release the locking-lever from the action of the spring.

3. In a type-Writing or other machine the combination of the platenshaft having a ratchet-wheel, of a brake-lever arranged to engage saidratchet-wheel, a spring for throwing said brake-leveryinward, and acontrolling-lever for moving 'the spring away from said brake-lever.

4. In a type-writing or other machine, the combination with theplaten-shaft having a ratchet-wheel, of a locking-lever and a brakeleverarranged to engage said ratchet-Wheel, spring members for throwing saidlevers inward, and. a controlling-lever having two operating portionsarranged to engage said spring members and to temporarily render theminactive so far as the brake-lever or lookinglever is concerned, one ofsaid operating portions being shaped with a recess so that the springmembers will also act to hold the controlling-lever in either one of itspositions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to th1s specification in thepresence of two sub- FRANZ X. WAGNER.

WVitnesses:

JOHN LOTKA, Orro v.- SGHRENK.

